Is Caladium safe for cats and dogs?

What the ASPCA lists for Caladium

The ASPCA records Caladium (Caladium hortulanum, family Araceae) as Toxic to Dogs, Toxic to Cats, Toxic to Horses. Toxic principle: Insoluble calcium oxalates. Clinical signs listed: Oral irritation, pain and swelling of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting (not horses), difficulty swallowing. Read the ASPCA entry.

The standard aroid picture: insoluble calcium oxalate crystals embed in the soft tissue of the mouth on chewing, so the pain is immediate and local rather than systemic. The ASPCA's own bracket, vomiting (not horses), is theirs, not an editorial note.

The ASPCA carries two entries for this species and they disagree about horses

Both pages below are ASPCA pages for the same scientific name, Caladium hortulanum. They do not agree. The Caladium entry says toxic to horses and calls the principle insoluble calcium oxalates; the Elephant Ears entry states no horse verdict at all and calls the principle calcium oxalate crystals. This page quotes the Caladium entry, which is the more cautious of the two on horses and is filed under this plant's usual retail name. We are not resolving which is correct, because that is the ASPCA's to resolve. If you keep horses, treat the plant as toxic to them.

Every source in this table was read on 2026-08-23. Text inside quotation marks is verbatim from that day's version of the page; the rest summarises what the page said.

Do not confuse Caladium with Elephant Ears

Elephant ear is sold as a name for at least three different plants: caladium, Colocasia esculenta and Alocasia. For dogs and cats the mix-up is harmless, because all of them are toxic by the same calcium oxalate mechanism, so a shopper who confuses them still gets the right verdict. It is NOT harmless for horses, and the reason is that the ASPCA contradicts itself; see the source comparison below. The shared name also matters for care rather than safety: a caladium dies back to its tuber every winter, and Colocasia and Alocasia each have their own dormancy habit, so winter dieback is not proof the plant is dead. Go by the Latin name on the label before you bin anything. The ASPCA lists Elephant Ears (Colocasia esculenta) as Toxic to Dogs, Toxic to Cats, Toxic to Horses, toxic principle Insoluble calcium oxalates, with clinical signs: Oral irritation, pain and swelling of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting (not horses), difficulty swallowing. Read the ASPCA entry for Elephant Ears. If you are unsure which one you have, treat it as the toxic plant until you can confirm, and call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435 if your pet has eaten any of it.

What this verdict does and does not mean

Being non-toxic does not mean a plant is chew-proof: even pet-safe houseplants can upset a cat's or dog's stomach if they eat a large amount, simply because it is plant matter. Most toxic houseplants cause irritant-level symptoms, such as drooling, mouth soreness, or a mild upset stomach, rather than a medical emergency. A small number of plants are a genuine emergency, most notably true lilies (Lilium and Hemerocallis species) for cats, which can cause fatal kidney failure from even a small amount of pollen or a nibbled leaf. If you are ever in doubt, or your pet has eaten part of a plant, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435.

Safer alternatives

Looking for something with a similar look and habit that is pet-safe instead?

• Calathea, see the care guide.
• Peperomia, see the care guide.
• Fittonia (Nerve Plant), see the care guide.

More on pet safety

Read the full care guide for Caladium, browse the pet safety checker for other plants, or identify a plant from a photo first if you are not sure what you have. Verdicts here follow the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list.